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Strengths: Lightning quick. Can get into the lane with ease. Good leaper. Uncanny knack for splitting double-teams. Good ability to use the rim as a shield and hit tough lay-ups to avoid defenders. Excellent playmaker and passer. Takes great care of the ball – twice as many assists as turnovers. Solid physique. Prolific scorer – nineteen 20-plus point games his sophomore year. Good three-point shooter – hit about two a game this year. Solid free throw shooter. Used to playing heavy minutes.

Weaknesses: Height – will be vastly undersized for the NBA - may actually be 5’11”. Bigger, stronger NBA guards will give him problems on both ends of the floor (like against Memphis in the Elite Eight). Can be a streaky scorer – went 3 for 25 from the field combined in back-to-back games. Doesn’t shoot for an extremely high percentage.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Lottery to late first round pick.

Consensus: If D.J. Augustin is to excel in the NBA he will have to be a trendsetter - there are currently no sub-six foot stars in the League. There is no doubt he has the speed, skill-set and intelligence to play at the next level, but to become a star he will have to be find a way to slay the NBA’s Goliaths

Strengths: Great slasher. Very good floater shot he is confident shooting from deep. Long arms (6’9” wingspan). Experience playing in big games. Decent ball handler. Good rebounder. Good height/length for an NBA two guard. Used to being the go-to guy on one of the country’s best teams. Decent defender – long arms helps get steals. Accurate three-point shooter. Shot for a fantastic average for a guard – over 53% FG all three years in college. Crafty player – knows how to get the job down.

Weaknesses: Very thin – needs to bulk up a bit for the NBA. Not an off-the-charts athlete. Didn’t play in one of the top conferences. Can he guard the NBA’s top wing players? Needs to improve his assists to turnovers to play guard in the NBA. Good three-point shooter but didn’t hit very many – just over one a game. Missed clutch free throws in the NCAA championship game.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late lottery to late first round pick.

Consensus: CDR couldn’t have had a much better junior season with the Tigers (besides that loss to Kansas). It is hard to pin down how effective he will be in the NBA with his unique style, but with his good length and tricky game he should make a nice living in the NBA.

Accolades: Honorable Mention All-Freshman – CHN (08), Second Team All-Big East (08), Big East All-Rookie Team (08), USA Under-19 National Team (07), McDonald’s All-American – high school (07), First Team All-American – Parade – high school (07), Second Team All-USA Today – high school (07), USA Under-18 National Team (06).

Scouting Report: An athletic forward with great size for the wing spot.

Strengths: Great size for the small forward position. Great shooting touch. Can hit shots over defenders. Shooting range goes out beyond the three-point arc – hit almost three three-pointers a game his freshman season. Versatile scorer – three-pointers, fast-breaks, one-on-one moves. Can get out and run the floor. Very good rebounder. Good vertical. Can be an explosive scorer – fourteen 20 plus point games his freshman year.

Weaknesses: Doesn’t have an above-average wingspan. Can he guard NBA small forwards or power forwards? Played mostly zone defense at Syracuse. Needs to work on his ball-handling. Inexperienced – only one year of college. Needs to cut down on turnovers – had more turnovers than assists this year. Shoots way too many three-pointers – almost eight a game. Needs to get stronger and bigger. His three-point accuracy (less than 35%) needs to improve. Inconsistent.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late lottery to late first round pick.

Consensus: There aren’t too many guys with Donte’ Greene’s size, athleticism and shooting range so NBA teams will be intrigued by him. But his draft stock is all over the board and he could use at least another year in college to get his body ready for the pros and to improve his consistency.

Scouting Report: A perfect combination of size, skill and athleticism.

Strengths: Very athletic. Great leaper – everything ends in a dunk. Finishes strong around the hoop. Great wingspan. Good size for a small forward. Good jump shot – gets high off the ground and has a high release. Can hit tough shots over defenders. Good body control. Ability to beat man off the dribble with either hand. Great shot-blocker for his position. Good passer. Can post up strong. Hard worker. His game increased each year in college. Good rebounder for a wing player.

Weaknesses: Gets beat off the dribble – does he posses the foot speed to cover NBA wing players? Still inexperienced – a late bloomer – didn’t play much his sophomore year. Needs to become a better three-point shooter to play the three-spot in the NBA. Still inconsistent. Needs to improve his assist to turnover ratio.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.

Consensus: Joe Alexander had a breakout junior season at West Virginia and is primed to make some big-time NBA dough. While he is still inconsistent and a little inexperienced, his package of skills, size, athleticism and work ethic are rare. He should be a fine NBA pro.

Strengths: Huge wingspan – over 7 feet. Great height/length for a small forward. Used to going up against top-notch competition – currently plays in the world’s second best pro league, the Euroleague. Held his own against the States’ top high school players in last year’s Nike Hoop Summit – 23 points. Shoots for a high percentage. Shooting range goes out beyond the three-point line. Very athletic – can get out and run and has good leaping ability. Length comes in handy on the defensive end – deflects passes and blocks shots. Very good playmaker for a wing player.

Weaknesses: Inconsistent – doesn’t always assert himself. Needs to add strength and weight for the NBA game. Very young – won’t turn 20-years-old until December. Needs to improve his three-point accuracy. Needs to work on his shooting mechanics – needs to follow through more. More potential than finished product right now.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Lottery pick.

Consensus: Batum’s combination of length and athleticism has NBA scouts drooling. Whoever drafts him will have to be patient, but as his game and body matures Batum could be an excellent NBA pro. However, similar to fellow Frechman Boris Diaw, Batum can get you a triple-double one night and then bring nothing to the stat sheet the next – his consistency and aggression level have been questioned.

Strengths: Very athletic for his size – can run the floor, good jumping ability. Good range on his jumper. Solid back to the basket moves. Gets good position in post and attacks. Good passer. Good shot blocker. Has the ability to take his man off the dribble. Long wingspan.

Weaknesses: Will need to add some weight/strength to play the post in the NBA. Still inexperienced and young. Due to Kansas’ depth he never played major minutes in college – averaged less than 20 mpg his freshman year, less than 24 mpg his sophomore season. Also never put up big stats due to the Jayhawks’ depth. Foul prone.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Lottery pick to mid-first round pick.

Consensus: Watching Arthur play he just looks the part of an NBA prospect. With decent size, wingspan and offensive skills, Arthur is made for the pro game. He might not be ready right away, but within a few seasons he should be a NBA starter.

Scouting Report: A long, athletic big man who came on after being a relative unknown to start his college career.

Strengths: Long wingspan. Shoots for a very high percentage from the field – over 60% each year. Practiced against three future NBA big men his freshman year (Horford, Noah, Richard). Nice shooting touch for a big man. Athletic for a big man. Good hands. Has good NBA size. Good shot-blocker. Very good rebounder. Got more consistent as his sophomore season progressed.

Weaknesses: Very inexperienced – didn’t play much his freshman year. Age – will be 21-years-old in August, making him older than other sophomores. Has had conditioning issues in the past. Has to improve his low post game. Needs to get tougher. Needs work on the defensive end.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late first round to early second round pick.

Consensus: No doubt Marreese Speights has a future in the NBA due to his size and skills. However, considering he doesn’t appear to be a first round lock this year he should go back to Gainesville for his junior season.

Strengths: Big, strong frame. Along with 7-foot height he has a long wingspan. Hard worker – a gym rat. Good hands. Able to put the ball on the floor to score. Uses the glass wisely on jump shots. Tough rebounder. Possesses three-point range on his jumper. Great face up shooter. Soft touch down low. Great shot blocker. Was the best player at a high-level international tournament last summer. Seems to play better in big games.

Weaknesses: Not super fast or athletic. Tends to face-up to the hoop more than post up. Can drift out to beyond the arc too often. Still inexperienced – big guys tend to need more time to develop. Does he have the foot speed to guard mobile NBA big men?

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid first round pick.

Consensus: Players with Kosta Koufos’ size and skill package don’t come along too often, so his decision to enter the draft shouldn’t come as a surprise. While he would probably benefit from at least another year in college, Koufos should be an early pick this year and could pan out to be an above-average pro.

Accolades: Third Team Parade All-American – high school (07), USA U-19 Team (07), Two-time All-State – Texas – high school.

Scouting Report: A big man with big “upside”

Strengths: Long wingspan – blocks and alters shots with it. Soft hands in the post – catches difficult passes and converts. Good springs – can get off the floor. Can run the floor well for a big body. Good at getting post position. Solid rebounder. Shoots for a very high percentage from the field.

Weaknesses: Still more prospect than NBA player right now – will need time to develop. Very inexperienced – only played one season of college ball and didn’t play huge minutes (about 20/game). Productivity declined as his freshman season went on. Still a little clumsy. Needs to add some more muscle to his frame. Horrible free throw shooter – barely above 40%. Offensive game is still a work in progress – averages less than 10 points per game.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Top 10 pick.

Consensus: Whichever NBA team drafts Jordan will have to be patient with him. As the Lakers can attest with Andrew Bynum, the wait could be well worth it as Jordan has all the makings of a quality NBA big.

Strengths: Extremely long wingspan – reportedly measuring at 7’6”. Very athletic for his size. Can run the floor. Attacks the rim and dunks often. Good hands. Makes quick moves once he gets the ball. Terrific shot-blocker. Has a good hook shot in the post. Has range on his jumper – can hit the college three-pointer. Able to put the ball on the floor and get by defenders.

Weaknesses: Very inexperienced – only played significant minutes his sophomore year. Didn’t play in a BCS conference, so didn’t go up against top talent every game. Poor free throw shooter. Needs to get physically stronger for the NBA. Will have to learn to post up stronger for the NBA. NBA players will be able to overpower him and back him down when he is on defense. Extremely turnover prone – had four times as many turnovers than assists this past season.Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late lottery to mid first round pick.

Consensus: JaVale McGee is the ultimate “high-risk, high-reward” pick. His length and athleticism are very enticing, but with his game and body still a work in progress there is no guarantee

Re: The PD NBA Draft - Selection 10 - Indiana

Re: The PD NBA Draft - Selection 10 - Indiana

I have been advocating to draft Speights with the idea Alexander has already been taken. Since Alexander hasn't been, I have to go with Alexander even tho I still feel Speights is JO's replacement for the future.

Re: The PD NBA Draft - Selection 10 - Indiana

We desperately need leadership and a true PG on this team. The only one that will be available is Augustin. The fact he is small is a drawback, but you have to consider the huge issues with our current crop of PG's. He will be a major upgrade.

As for bigs, Speights is probably the lowest risk pick has the requisite size. He would be a helpful addition to our front line. Arthur is listed at the same size as Shawne Williams...so I'm not sure why we would pick him. The other players are projects and we don't need that right now.

I'd go with Augustin. Whether he is the long term answer, it is hard to say. He will struggle against bigger PG's for sure, but should be fine against most of them.